U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut has raised $2 million in the second quarter of 2023 — with the Democratic control of the U.S. Senate at stake in the 2024 election.
Murphy has $6.7 million on hand for his reelection, which is the highest amount that a candidate in Connecticut has had at this point in a campaign cycle.
There are several reasons why Murphy, a Democrat who appears to be in a safe race for reelection in 2024, is building a huge war chest, said Ron Schurin, a Connecticut political scientist.
“One is insurance. You never know what might happen," Schurin said. "Two, the possibility of wanting to have surplus funds that you can then donate in limited amounts to other candidates. Or three, surplus funds that you could use for a subsequent other race.”
Murphy might also want to use some of the funds to support a political cause that he is passionate about. “For example, I can imagine Murphy wanting to donate surplus funds to a gun control organization,” Schurin added.
But building a huge war chest does not necessarily guarantee victory, Schurin warned.
“You always have to remember that there is not a direct correlation between campaign funds and electoral success. If there were, Linda McMahon would be our senator,” he said.
Murphy won his U.S. Senate seat in 2012 defeating Linda McMahon, a wealthy Republican who spent more than $100 million on her two campaigns for the office.
There is so much at stake in this election cycle that he is not taking anything for granted, Murphy said in a statement released by his campaign.
